Friday, January 21, 2005

Archbishop Casmoussa Released

Archbishop Casmoussa, the leader of the Syrian-Catholic archdiocese of Mosul, has been safely released. Zenit reports:

The Holy See expressed John Paul II's "great satisfaction" over the release of Archbishop Basile Georges Casmoussa of Mosul, who had been briefly held hostage by gunmen in Iraq.

The Pope's sentiments were published today in a statement by Joaquín Navarro Valls, director of the Vatican press office, shortly after Iraqi Catholic sources reported news of the Syrian-Catholic archbishop's release.

"The Holy Father was informed immediately and he thanked God for the happy outcome of this vicissitude," said Navarro Valls.